Jews in Western Europe

african.mapper:

Jews in Western Europe have a long and complex history, from early Roman times and flourishing medieval communities that contributed to commerce, learning, and culture, to centuries of persecution, expulsions, and forced conversions, most dramatically in Spain and Portugal in the late 15th century.

Emancipation in the 18th–19th centuries brought new opportunities, with many states granting Jews citizenship and fostering their integration into political, intellectual, and economic life, but the Holocaust decimated Western European Jewry, erasing ancient communities and leaving only a fraction of their prewar numbers.

Today, around one million Jews live in Western Europe, they sustain vibrant institutions, schools, and cultural life but face ongoing challenges of assimilation, demographic decline, and emigration.

Collection: ethnic-groups - Tags: jews, europe - Source: instagram.com